The process for these start-ups has been smoother in some places than others. While many municipalities are wise to the tax and tourism benefits of welcoming a craft brewery, others in the local planning department worry about Coors-scale plants hulking over subdivisions.

Odyssey Beerwerks co-owners Chris Hill and John Van Riper found open arms at Arvada City Hall. Hill said officials put few restrictions on the tasting room and gave loose guidance on outside signage that could be summarized as "just don't make it garish neon."

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The partners scouted locations from north Denver to Fort Collins before deciding to anchor their 15-barrel brewhouse in an office park at 5535 W. 56th Ave. Hill said Arvada "just felt like home. The city has been fantastic. This space, we just fell in love with it."

Most suburban breweries offer a range of beers rather than target a small niche — and Odyssey is following suit.

The way Hill describes it, the decision was based not on market tendencies but on the brewers'. They aim to put their spin on styles they love from around the world.

The initial tap list will include a German hefeweizen, American pale ale, vanilla porter, Belgian-style black double IPA, English bitter and Scotch ale.

"Our niche is really beer for the masses," said Hill, who left a 20-year career in advertising last fall. "I'm sure we can find something for everyone that comes in here."

With Arvada Beer Company and Yak and Yeti nearby, Arvada can now claim a craft beer triangle.

Dry Dock Brewing's success was not lost on Aurora officials. The brewery and city have long been on good terms, and Dry Dock co-owner Kevin Delange has said city staff have pledged to help usher through big plans for a tasting room and three-acre beer garden at Dry Dock's new second location on Tower Road just south of I-70.

Aurora leaders made recruiting another small brewery a priority — and landed one when Mu Brewery signed a lease to move into a former hardware store and tailor shop in the Aurora Cultural Arts District.

There was even a carrot: An unsuccessful 2011 incentive program to kick-start the arts district has about $250,000 available, and part of that will go to renovating the building that will house Mu Brewery.

The brewery plans to offer four flagship beers: a pilsner, an English-style brown ale, a maple cream porter and a raspberry red.

Then there was Westminster.

Kokopelli Beer Co. owner Christine Wares' market research found promising demographics and a dearth of nearby breweries there. She secured an attractive location near a planned light-rail line and redevelopment of the bulldozed Westminster Mall.

Mayor Nancy McNally was supportive, Wares said. But she said her planning department contact — who has since left — made it clear a stand-alone brewery was not welcome. The city was more amenable to a brewpub in the model of a Rock Bottom, with food on the menu.

So rather than fight it, Kokopelli will open in late June or early July as a brewpub serving six standard ales ranging from a wit to a milk stout, open-faced sandwiches and Colorado wines and spirits.

"They just have blinders on right now, I think," Wares said. "They picture Coors and Bud and the larger breweries. You can't tell them, 'Hey, I want to stay small.' I think they just need more education."

Westminster planning manager Mac Cummins said production breweries are not prohibited but the city has yet to evaluate impacts such as "noise, major odor issues, and a huge use of water — or water quality or disposal issues."

Cummins said city officials plan to explore the issue in more depth and will work with anyone interested in starting a brewery.

"At this point, we are not sure if it's a fad that will be a sustainable business model or if it's something that will continue to occur in the suburbs," he said. "We are very supportive of start-up business development generally in the city. What we haven't had a chance to figure out yet is the impact."

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